1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and systems for transporting water and more particularly relates to methods and systems for environmental stabilization of a body of water.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bodies of water such as lakes and seas are often vital components of an environment and ecosystem. In addition to promoting a temperate climate, bodies of water often share an intricate relationship with local plant and animal life. Indeed, bodies of water provide plants and animals a home, breeding ground, water source, and more.
The impact a body of water has on an environment and surrounding ecosystem often depends upon the characteristics of the body of water, such as the water level, salinity, water quality, evaporation rate, temperature and the like. Typically, if the water's characteristics change, dependent plant and animal life must change as well. Where local plants and animals are unable to adapt to the changing characteristics of a body of water, the local environment and ecosystem may be jeopardized.
For example, if an inland sea lacks an outlet, the sea may become increasingly salty over time due to evaporation. As a result, the salinity of the water may harm local vegetation and force animals to seek another water source. On the other hand, if a body of water lacks stable inflow from tributaries, the body of water may experience dramatically varying water levels and extreme temperature changes. Again, the vitality of dependant plant and animal life may be threatened by the water level and temperature changes, resulting in dwindling populations, forced migrations, or extinction. In short, the stability of a body of water greatly impacts the surrounding environment. In particular, a body of water that experiences extreme changes typically cannot sustain a balanced ecosystem or environment.
One example of the consequences of not stabilizing a body of water is the Aral Sea in central Asia. The destruction of the Aral Sea ecosystem has been sudden and severe. Beginning in the 1960s, agricultural demands deprived the Aral Sea of much need fresh water. In the past few decades, the Aral Sea's volume has decreased by 75 percent, the equivalent of draining Lakes Erie and Ontario. The shoreline has receded up to 120 km from its former shore leaving a perimeter of polluted sediments around the sea.
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and other Central Asian states continue to use water to grow cotton and other export crops despite the water and soil contamination, dangerous levels of polluted airborne sediments, and closure of fisheries. Local birth defect rates are currently above 5 percent. Although it is generally agreed that the current situation is unsustainable, the poverty and export dependency of the Central Asian states have prevented real action, and the sea continues to shrink.
Another specific example of a potentially unstable body of water is the Salton Sea in California. The Salton Sea is California's largest inland body of water and a tremendous source of biodiversity. Fifty percent of all bird species found in the United States can be found at the Salton Sea, many of which are dependent upon the fish found therein. While the Sea experiences over six feet of evaporation each year, the water level is currently being replenished by the irrigation run-off from five hundred thousand acres of adjoining farmland. Notably, this farmland is estimated to produce eighty-five percent of the nation's winter vegetable crop.
Unfortunately, the farmland's agricultural run-off contains tremendous amounts of salt, fertilizers, and other chemicals that end up in the Salton Sea. Since its inception in 1905, the Sea has become twenty-five percent saltier than the ocean, in addition to its ever changing chemical composition. Naturally, there is a great concern that the Sea will eventually become unable to support the tremendous plant and animal life dependent thereon.
Despite the apparent need for a solution to the Salton Sea problem, no viable solutions currently exist. Continuing irrigation will inevitably increase the salinity and foreign chemical composition of the Sea, resulting in an unavoidable death sentence to dependent plant and animal life. Discontinuing the irrigation of the adjoining farmland would eliminate an agricultural resource that provides eight-five percent of the nation's winter vegetable crop.
Allowing the Sea to simply evaporate would result in toxic dust storms, as the strong Coachella Valley winds would inevitably scatter the dried, chemical-laden sea bed throughout the adjoining communities. Diverting water from the Colorado River to replenish the Sea would deprive the adjoining farmland of irrigation or nearby cities, such as San Diego and Los Angeles, of a much needed water source.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for a system and method that environmentally stabilizes a body of water. Beneficially, such a system and method would promote the welfare of the local environment and ecosystem dependant upon the body of water. In addition, the system and method would also effectively provide energy and water conservation mechanisms useful to man without damaging the environment.